What is the low lunge pose? 

Low lunge pose, known as Anjaneyasana, provides a deep stretch for the hips, especially the hip flexors and psoas. The posture is most impactful for athletes, cyclists and working professionals as it stretches out the hips, providing relief from tightness and tension in the lower body. Low lunge is good to practice after a strong workout or in the beginning of a yoga class, after Surya Namaskars and warm-ups, and before intense hip-openers like the Monkey pose or Wide-legged Seated Forward Bend pose. 

Position type: Kneeling

Posture type: Lunge

Ideal for: Flexibility and mobility 

Targets: Hips, groin, inner thighs, core  

Pose level: Beginner 

How to prepare for the low lunge pose

Hip-opening

Low lunge is a beginner-friendly hip-opening stretch that improves flexibility and mobility. Since it is intense on the hips, ensure you warm-up the body with Surya Namaskars and poses such as the downward-facing dog pose, standing forward fold, high lunge, gate pose and bound angle pose. These exercises will loosen up tight muscles, preparing your body for intense hip-openers like the low lunge. Blood circulation to the hip region also improves greatly. 

Regular practice of postures such as the garland pose, bow pose and pigeon pose are beneficial for hip-opening and improve flexibility in the hip region. 

Backbends

In the low lunge pose, as you get better with practice, you can also arch the back to get in a gentle backbend. To do this, warm-up the body with backbends such as the cobra pose and camel pose. Regular practice will help you get better at balancing when arching the back and in improving the backbend as well. 

How to do the low lunge pose

Getting into the posture

• Starting from Downward-facing dog pose, take the right foot forward between your hands. Lower the left knee and place it on the mat. Slide the foot back until you feel a stretch in the left hip and thigh. 
• Place the hands on the right thigh and push the hips lower and in level with each other. 
• Once you are well-balanced here, inhale and take the hands up alongside the ears. Keep the abdomen engaged and raise the chest away from the thigh. 
• Now, gently arch the back and raise the head, keeping your gaze on the fingertips or thumbs. 
• If you are not comfortable arching the back, you can simply keep your gaze straight ahead and spine neutral. 
• Stay in the final position for a few breaths or a minute. 

Getting out of the posture

• As you exhale, lower your hands and slowly step back into Downward-facing dog pose. 

Key alignments in the low lunge pose

Ensure your front knee is pointing in the same direction as your toes. The knee can come slightly ahead of the foot in the lunge position since the back knee is on the mat holding a portion of weight. But do not let the knee come too much ahead of the ankle. 

What are the benefits of the low lunge pose? 

Anjaneyasana is first and foremost an intense hip-opener that stretches and hip region and has a strong impact on the hip flexors. The entire hips, groin and inner thighs region gets stretched and there is relief from tightness. The back, legs, feet and shoulders also get stronger. Focus and balance improves. When a backbend is added to the pose, the spine also gets stretched and stiffness is relieved and back pain is alleviated. 

What are the contraindications of the low lunge pose? 

Avoid practicing Anjaneyasana if you have any ankle, knee or hip injury. In the case of sensitive knees, place a blanket or cushion below the back knee. It will provide the necessary cushioning and padding for the knees, softening the pressure. 

Variations of the low lunge pose

Easy variation

• Place the hands on the hips, floor or on blocks to balance better. Keep the back neutral and gaze directly ahead of you. 
• Place the hips on the front thigh and gently push lower while keeping the back neutral. 

Advanced variation

• As you gain better balance with practice, you can try twisting in the low lunge pose. Lengthen the spine, place the palms in Namaste mudra and twist to hook your left elbow on or outside the right thigh. 
• You can also try bending the back leg and holding the ankle with your right hand. And then repeating this with the other leg. 
• Try the side bend variation where you drop your palms of one hand on the mat and bend to that side. You can also rest the hand on a block. 

Advice for beginners

In the beginning you can place your hands on the floor or blocks beside the leg to better support and balance in the posture. This will help you intensify the stretch in the front thigh. Keep the core engaged and lengthen the tailbone to improve lower back stability. Also, try to keep the knees stacked over the ankle or only slightly ahead of the foot, but not too much.

Shvasa tips

• Be slow and gentle when practicing the low lunge pose as it is intense on the hips and back. Gradually work your way towards challenging versions. 
• Practice with complete awareness, control and balance. 
• Practice under the guidance of a teacher, especially if you are trying to hold the asana for longer or go deeper towards the floor. 

Learn how to practice Anjaneyasana the right way, with modification and props, from an experienced teacher LIVE on Shvasa.